THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Newfield Exploration Company (NFX) today reported its fourth quarter 2016 financial results, as well as 2016 year-end proved reserves. Additional operational details can be found in the Company's @NFX publication, located on its website. Newfield today issued a separate news release outlining its planned 2017 capital investment program and full-year production expectations. In addition, the Company provided a multi-year outlook for domestic total production, domestic oil production and Anadarko Basin production.

Newfield will host a conference call at 10 a.m. CST, February 22, 2017. To listen to the call, please visit Newfield's website at http://www.newfield.com. To participate in the call, dial 785-830-1924 and enter conference code 5209429 at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Fourth Quarter Financial Summary

For the fourth quarter, the Company recorded net income of $13 million, or $0.07 per diluted share (all per share amounts are on a diluted basis). After adjusting for the effect of unrealized derivative losses, net income would have been $98 million, or $0.49 per share.

For the full-year 2016, Newfield's net production was 59.6 MMBOE, of which 5.4 MMBOE was from offshore China.

Proved Reserves and Costs Incurred

Newfield's year-end 2016 proved reserves were up 1% year-over-year to 513 MMBOE (99% domestic) despite the impact of lower crude oil and natural gas prices used in year-end reserve calculations. Crude oil and natural gas prices used in this calculation were $42.82 per barrel (down 15%) and $2.48 per MMbtu (down 4%), respectively. As a result, pre-tax present value of reserves (discounted at 10%) at year-end 2016 was approximately $2.7 billion, down 9% over the prior year-end.

The increase in our proved reserves of 4 MMBOE resulted from positive revisions of 36 MMBOE and cost structure improvement revisions of 7 MMBOE which were partially offset by negative revisions of 22 MMBOE resulting from commodity price decreases. During 2016, we added proved reserves of 77 MMBOE, which included 35 MMBOE of reserves purchased and 42 MMBOE added through extensions, discoveries and other additions. During 2016, we sold non-strategic assets with reserves of 35 MMBOE.

Approximately 56% of proved reserves are liquids and 61% are proved developed. The largest source of reserve additions during 2016 came from the Anadarko Basin, which now total 330 MMBOE and comprise nearly two-thirds of Newfield's total proved reserves. The proved reserve life index for the Company is approximately nine years.

Newfield engaged the consulting firms DeGolyer and MacNaughton and Ryder Scott Company to perform an audit of the internally prepared reserve estimates on certain fields covering 93% of year-end 2016 proved reserve quantities on a barrel of oil equivalent basis. The purpose of these audits was to provide additional assurance on the reasonableness of internally prepared reserve estimates. Newfield's proved reserves are, in aggregate, reasonable and within the established audit tolerance guidelines of 10 percent.

Newfield invested approximately $1.3 billion in 2016, which includes approximately $579 million in acquisitions, land and leasehold expenditures and $121 million of capitalized interest and internal costs. The tables below provide additional information on reserves and costs incurred during 2016.

Crude Oil and Condensate

(MMBbls)

Natural Gas

(Bcf)

Natural Gas Liquids

(MMBbls)

Total

(MMBOE)

Total Company Reserves

December 31, 2015

207

1,305

84

509

Revisions of previous estimates

(9)

116

13

21

Extensions, discoveries and other additions

19

92

8

42

Purchases of properties

12

90

7

35

Sales of properties

(13)

(102)

(6)

(35)

Production

(26)

(135)

(11)

(59)

December 31, 2016

190

1,366

95

513

SEC pricing used for year-end 2016 reserve calculations: $2.48 per MMBtu for natural gas and $42.82 per barrel for oil, adjusted for market differentials.

The following table presents costs incurred for oil and gas property acquisition, exploration and development for 2016:

Domestic

China

Total

(in millions)

Property acquisitions:

Unproved

$491

$ --

$491

Proved

88

--

88

Exploration

535

--

535

Development(1)

210

(1)

209

Total costs incurred(2)

$1,324

$ (1)

$1,323

(1)

Includes ($8) million of asset retirement costs.

(2)

Total costs incurred includes approximately $121 million of capitalized interest and internal costs

Newfield Exploration Company is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Our U.S. operations are onshore and focus primarily on large scale liquids-rich resource plays. Our principal areas of operation are the Anadarko and Arkoma basins of Oklahoma, the Williston Basin of North Dakota and the Uinta Basin of Utah. We also have oil producing assets offshore China.

**This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words "may," "forecast," "outlook," "could," "budget," "objectives," "strategy," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "project," "target," "goal," "plan," "should," "will," "predict," "guidance," "potential" or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Other than historical facts included in this release, all information and statements, including but not limited to information regarding planned capital expenditures, estimated reserves, estimated production targets, drilling and development plans, the timing of production, planned capital expenditures, and other plans and objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Although Newfield believes that these expectations are reasonable, this information is based upon assumptions and anticipated results that are subject to numerous uncertainties and risks. Actual results may vary significantly from those anticipated due to many factors, including but not limited to commodity prices, drilling results, our liquidity and the availability of capital resources, operating risks, industry conditions, China and U.S. governmental regulations, financial counterparty risks, the prices of goods and services, the availability of drilling rigs and other support services, our ability to monetize assets and repay or refinance our existing indebtedness, labor conditions, severe weather conditions, new regulations or changes in tax legislation, environmental liabilities not covered by indemnity or insurance, legislation or regulatory initiatives intended to address seismic activity, and other operating risks. Please see Newfield's 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent public filings, all filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), for a discussion of other factors that may cause actual results to vary. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed in this press release or in Newfield's SEC filings could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Unless legally required, Newfield undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Represents volumes lifted and sold regardless of when produced. Includes natural gas produced and consumed in operations of 1.1 Bcf during the three months ended December 31, 2016.

(2)

Average realized prices include the effects of derivative contracts. Excluding these effects, the average realized price for domestic and total natural gas would have been $2.68 per Mcf and the average realized price for our domestic and total crude oil and condensate would have been $43.39 per barrel and $44.52 per barrel, respectively. We did not have any derivative contracts associated with our NGL or China production as of December 31, 2016.

(3)

All per unit pricing and expenses exclude natural gas produced and consumed in operations.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

(Unaudited, in millions)

December 31,

2016

2015

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

555

$

5

Short-term investments

25

—

Derivative assets

75

284

Other current assets

294

336

Total current assets

949

625

Oil and gas properties, net (full cost method)

3,140

3,819

Derivative assets

—

105

Other assets

223

219

Total assets

$

4,312

$

4,768

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Derivative liabilities

97

13

Other current liabilities

587

634

Total current liabilities

684

647

Other liabilities

63

48

Derivative liabilities

3

9

Long-term debt

2,431

2,467

Asset retirement obligations

154

192

Deferred taxes

39

26

Total long-term liabilities

2,690

2,742

Stockholders' equity:

Common stock, treasury stock and additional paid-in capital

3,205

2,416

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

(2)

(2)

Retained earnings (deficit)

(2,265)

(1,035)

Total stockholders' equity

938

1,379

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$

4,312

$

4,768

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited, in millions, except per share data)

Three Months Ended

Year Ended

December 31,

December 31,

2016

2015

2016

2015

Oil, gas and NGL revenues

$

415

$

362

$

1,472

$

1,557

Operating expenses:

Lease operating

61

66

244

285

Transportation and processing

72

59

272

212

Production and other taxes

8

3

42

46

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

115

196

572

917

General and administrative

46

64

213

244

Ceiling test and other impairments

—

702

1,028

4,904

Other

1

2

20

10

Total operating expenses

303

1,092

2,391

6,618

Income (loss) from operations

112

(730)

(919)

(5,061)

Other income (expense):

Interest expense

(38)

(37)

(154)

(164)

Capitalized interest

16

10

51

33

Commodity derivative income (expense)

(69)

29

(191)

259

Other, net

3

(1)

5

(14)

Total other income (expense)

(88)

1

(289)

114

Income (loss) before income taxes

24

(729)

(1,208)

(4,947)

Income tax provision (benefit)

11

(66)

22

(1,585)

Net income (loss)

$

13

$

(663)

$

(1,230)

$

(3,362)

Earnings (loss) per share:

Basic

$

0.07

$

(4.06)

$

(6.36)

$

(21.18)

Diluted

$

0.07

$

(4.06)

$

(6.36)

$

(21.18)

Weighted-average number of shares outstanding for basic earnings (loss) per share

199

163

193

159

Weighted-average number of shares outstanding for diluted earnings (loss) per share

Adjusted Net Income (Earnings Stated Without the Effect of Certain Items)Earnings stated without the effect of certain items is a non-GAAP financial measure. Earnings without the effect of these items are presented because they affect the comparability of operating results from period to period. In addition, earnings without the effect of these items are more comparable to earnings estimates provided by securities analysts. This measure should not be considered an alternative to net income (loss) as defined by generally accepted accounting principles.

A reconciliation of earnings for the fourth quarter of 2016 stated without the effect of certain items to net income (loss) is shown below:

4Q16

(In millions)

Net Income (loss)

$

13

Unrealized (gain) loss on derivative contracts

85

Earnings stated without the effect of the above items

$

98

Discretionary Cash Flow from OperationsDiscretionary cash flow from operations represents net cash provided by operating activities before changes in operating assets and liabilities and is presented because of its acceptance as an indicator of an oil and gas exploration and production company's ability to internally fund exploration and development activities and to service or incur additional debt. This measure should not be considered an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities as defined by generally accepted accounting principles.

A reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to discretionary cash flow from operations is shown below: